Swivel tier desk tray



April 9, 1946. M; GLUCKMAN SWIVEL TIER DESK TRAYS Filed Aug. 31, 1944 jam-.3.

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Patented Apr. 9, 1946 UNITED STATES P-ATENT o1=1=1c|a SWIVEL TIERDESK TRAY Maxfield Gluckman, Jackson Heights, N. Y.

Application August 31, 1944, Serial No. 552,159

Claims.

This invention relates to paper trays of a tiered swivel type, and it consists in the constructions, arrangements and combinations herein described and claimed.

It is the cardinal object of the invention to provide identical tray elements, including paper holding or gripping means, mounted upon a support member in tiered relation, the tray elements being rotatable upon a horizontal axis, permitting a desired tray to be rotated to a point where the contents thereof may be viewed, additional papers added to or removed therefrom.

It is also an important object of the invention to provide a novel construction of support means cooperable with tray elements, whereby a plurality of tray elements may be quickly and readily mounted upon the support in tiered formation, or removed therefrom, and in the latter instance, employed as an ordinary desk tray, with the exception that the paper holding feature may still function as such.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein Figure l is a side elevation of my multiple tray device, partly in section.

Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the tray device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a similar view illustrating a modified form of the device.

Figure 5 is a side elevation thereof, parts being shown in section,

Figure 6 is a side elevation illustrating the tray device upon a wall surface,

Figure '7 is a side elevation, illustrating a further mounting of the device, the tray having been removed.

Attention is first invited to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawing, wherein there is shown a multiple tray device Ii] consisting of a base member ll having a transverse upright l2 of a height reater than the base, said upright being of a width slightly less than the width of the tray l3 which is to be supported thereby, The upright functions as a fulcrum.

The trays I3 are of identical construction, except as to length of the lowermost tray I3, for a purpose to be explained. Each tray comprises a bottom wall It, a medially interrupted front wall l5 and respective side walls It which terminate inwardly of the rear end of the bottom wall. The side walls 16 project downwardly beyond the bottom wall at the rear portion of the tray, the lower edges of the side walls l6 being formed with a notch I! for reception of trunnions l8 formed on respective ends of the transverse upright l2. A plate 19 is secured across the notch l1 and retains the tray swingably upon the upright l2.

To afford support and rigidity to -the transverse upright l2 angle braces 20 are secured between the upright l2 and the base ll.

, The rear end of the base I I has secured thereto an upright cylindrical body 2| positioned in the medial longitudinal axis of the tray. The cylindrical body 2| is provided with a vertical bore 22, and at the upper end of the body overlying the base H, an abutment 23 is formed, the lower face of which is slightly inclined for snug contacting engagement with the upper face of the bottom wall I4 of the tray, as shown in Figure 1.

A tray constructed as described may be used as a desk tray, papers in the tray being firmly held by engagement between the base wall [4 and the inclined face of the abutment. To remove papers from the tra or place additional papers therein, it is only necessary to exert pressure rearwardly of the transverse upright [2, when the tray will move to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1.

However, where an occasion may require a series of trays, and desk space is limited, I have provided means whereby a plurality of trays may be mounted in a tiered formation. The desired number of trays being at hand, one tray is set upon a desk or other surface. A cylindrical rod 23' is positioned in the bore 22, the rod being of a length to support the required number of trays.

An anti-friction washer 24 is next positioned on the rod and rests upon the body 21 of the tray, and a spacer block 25 is then placed on the rod with a washer 24 disposed thereabove. The next tray may now be positioned upon the rod. This procedure is continued until the required number of trays have been mounted upon the rod.

In the present instance, the tray I3 is shown of a length greater than the upper tray 13 for the purpose of receiving legal sized sheets, and inasmuch as this tray l3 rests upon a desk or other surface, this greater length affords support and stability to the device.

It will be apparent that the tray 13' will be held against rotary movement, but all trays thereabove may be rotated through an arc of 360 degrees.

A modified form of the device is shown in Figures 4 and 5, in which all of the trays may be rotatably supported. As shown, the support rod 23' 7*" a lateral base extension, a fulcrum on each base is fixed within a weighted base 26, a spacer 21' being employed therabove to support the first tray at a point so as to clear the base.

In Figure 6, the trays Ill are shown mounted upon a wall bracket 28, while in Figure 7, bracket 29 is illustrated adapted to support a single tray. This latter form of bracket would be found highly desirable in connection with support of a tray upon a typewriter frame or the like, and since the tray in normal position is at an inclination, the device could be readily emf ployed as a copy-holder.

While I have shown and described preferred forms of the device, this is by way of illustration only, and I consider as my own all such modifications in construction as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tiered desk tray device comprising an upright support member, vertically spaced abutment members on said support member, each abutment member including a lateral base extension, a tray rockably mounted on each base extension and including a projecting portion cooperable'with respective abutments for gripping papers deposited in said trays.

2. A tiered desk tray device comprising an upright support member, vertically spaced abutment members rotatably mounted on said support member, each abutment member including extension, a tray rockably mounted on respective fulcrums, each tray having a projecting portion cooperable with respective abutments for gripping papers deposited in said trays, the lowermost of said abutments adapted to rest upon a supporting surface, and the tray associated therewith being of a length greater than the tray thereabove.

3. The structure of claim 2, in which the abutments and associated trays are detachably mounted upon said upright support.

4. A tiered tray device comprising a cylindrical upright support, a plurality of body members rotatably mounted on said upright support and in vertically spaced relation, each body member having an abutment at its upper end and a lateral base extension, a fulcrum on each base extension, a tray rockably mounted on each fulcrum, each tray having a projection cooperable with respective abutments for gripping of papers deposited in respective trays upon downward swinging movement of the trays.

5. The structure of claim 4 in which said body members and associated trays are removably supported upon the cylindrical upright support, and said lateral base extensions are flush with the lower portions of the body members.

MAXFIELD GLUCKMAN. 

